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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2015)
A10 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2015 FROM PAGE A1 ATTENDANCE: COURTESY UMATILLA SCHOOL DISTRICT continued from page A1 SDUHGZLWKVWXGHQWVODVW \HDU GXULQJ WKH VDPH SHUL- od. Depew also said more VWXGHQWV²²ZHUHDE- sent fewer than 10 days this \HDU DV RI -DQXDU\ FRP- SDUHGZLWKWKHVWXGHQWV who missed less than 10 GD\V GXULQJ WKH VDPH SHUL- od last year, meaning more VWXGHQWVDUHDEVHQWIRUIHZ- er days than before. 'HSHZ VDLG WKH VWXGHQWV who missed fewer than 10 days averaged a GPA of 3.0. Those who missed between 10 and 20 percent of school DYHUDJHG D *3$ 6WX- dents who were absent more than 20 percent averaged a 1.69 GPA. 6LQFH LQVWLWXWLQJ WKH QHZ SROLF\ 'HSHZ VDLG VWX- dents made the Dean’s List and Honor Roll, which is al- PRVW GRXEOH IURP ODVW \HDU 7RPDNHWKH'HDQ¶V/LVWVWX- GHQWVPXVWDFKLHYHD*3$RI at least 3.5, and for the honor UROODVWXGHQW¶V*3$KDVWREH EHWZHHQDQG Vice Principal Ryan Fer- JXVRQVDLGKHWKLQNVWKHDWWHQ- GDQFHSROLF\KDVFRQWULEXWHG WRVWXGHQWV¶VXFFHVVWKLV\HDU ³%HFDXVH NLGV DUH KHUH more, we know that they are learning,” he said. “I do think LWKDVGH¿QLWHO\EHHQDPDMRU piece.” )HUJXVRQ VDLG WKH VFKRRO REAL ESTATE: continued from page A1 FROST: an area, look for a rental and then choose their own home WRSXUFKDVHDIWHUDZKLOH´ Parsons said, whether a per- VRQZDQWVWRSXUFKDVHDKRPH IRULQYHVWPHQWRUSHUVRQDOXVH WKHFRVWSHUVTXDUHIRRWLVOHVV locally than other areas. “I believe Hermiston and Umatilla moderate-priced homes, the $150,000 range, \RXFDQJHWDORWRIKRPHIRU \RXU PRQH\ DV FRPSDUHG to some of the areas in the state where a $150,000 home ZRXOG MXVW EH YHU\ PLQL- PXP´VKHVDLG³,QWKLVDUHD WKHUH¶VDJRRGYDOXHIRU\RXU KRPHDQGDJRRGYDOXHZKHQ \RXSXUFKDVHLW´ $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH VWXG\ Umatilla homes cost an aver- DJHRISHUVTXDUHIRRW and Hermiston homes cost $97.70, which were among WKH ORZHVW LQ WKH VWXG\ ZLWK the lowest cost of $61.39 in Nyssa. ,Q WKH VWXG\ 8PDWLOOD HDUQHGDQRXWRIPDU- ket health index score, which is based on how soon homes generally sell when placed on the market, compared to 8.89 in Hermiston. “If they are in good con- dition and priced fairly with ZKHUH WKH FXUUHQW PDUNHW LV WKH\ XVXDOO\ JR IDLUO\ TXLFN- ly,” Parsons said. 6KH VDLG ZKHWKHU EX\LQJ or selling a home, people VKRXOGFRQVXOWZLWKDUHDOHV- tate broker, who can provide DYDULHW\RIVHUYLFHVWRHQVXUH all steps in the process are done correctly. 7KHIXOOVWXG\LVDYDLODEOH at nerdwallet.com/cities. moved to Hermiston in the middle RI-DQXDU\ Frost said he was told it was DOZD\V VXQQ\ KHUH DQG KH ZDV beginning to wonder if everyone KDG EHHQ O\LQJ WR KLP XQWLO WKH VXQ EHJDQ WR VKLQH UHFHQWO\ +H said, overall, the weather has EHHQ³TXLWHDELWQLFHU´KHUH² DQG KH KRSHV WKH VXPPHU¶V GU\ KHDW LV OHVV ³PLVHUDEOH DQG VXI- IRFDWLQJ´ WKDQ :LVFRQVLQ¶V KX- PLGLW\²EXWRWKHUZLVHKHKDV noticed similarities between the two locations. “There’s fewer trees than what ,¶PXVHGWREXWDVIDUDVGULYLQJ DURXQG DQG ORRNLQJ DW WKH ODQG it looks pretty similar,” he said. ³:KHUH ,¶P IURP WKH\ KDYH WKH same sort of central-pivot irriga- tion going on (and) a lot of the VDPH FURSV , JUHZ XS LQ SRWDWR FRXQWU\´ )URVW VDLG WKH FXOWXUH DQG SHR- ple are similar, as well, and he is FXUUHQWO\PHHWLQJZLWKORFDODJUL- FXOWXUDOVWDNHKROGHUVWRGHWHUPLQH KRZKHVKRXOGIRFXVKLVUHVHDUFK “I’m trying to sit down and talk to as many people here that are as- VRFLDWHG ZLWK DJULFXOWXUH DQG WU\- ing to see what they think the need is here,” he said. “Basically, what I want to try to do is integrate some RIWKHEDVLFVWXGLHVRQSODQWSDWKR- gens and deliver that information to growers and other stakeholders LQWKHLQGXVWU\WRKHOSWKHPPDQ- age their crops better.” )URVW VDLG KH LV DVVXPLQJ WKH UHVSRQVLELOLW\ IRU VHYHUDO SURMHFWV started by retiring plant pathol- ogist Phil Hamm, who will still maintain his role as station direc- tor. Frost said he is still determin- LQJ ZKDW SURMHFWV KH ZLOO EHJLQ himself. +HVDLGSDUWRIKLVMREFRQVLVWV PRIOR: continued from page A1 he attended the University of Idaho to earn a degree in mechanical engineer- ing. Afterward, he worked for two years for Sperry Corporation in El Paso, Texas, and in Denver, Col- orado, before he realized that farming was a better ¿W IRU KLP DQG UHWXUQHG WR work for the family farm. In 1975, he decided to make the move to Hermiston. Since Prior moved to the region, he has owned and op- erated his farm, Eagle Ranch, in Echo, where he grew a va- riety of crops with sons Art DQG 'DYLG ,W ZDV WKURXJK DJULFXOWXUH WKDW IULHQG DQG +HUPLVWRQ $JULFXOWXUDO 5H- search & Extension Center Director Phil Hamm came to know him. ³&KHW RI FRXUVH ZDV D ORQJWLPH VXSSRUWHU IRU WKH experiment station,” he said. “He was highly involved with the experiment station in the past, serving on advisory committees. He is also a (Or- egon State University) Col- OHJH RI $JULFXOWXUH 6FLHQFHV Hall of Fame award winner.” Hamm said Prior and late agronomist Don Horneck ZHUH LQVWUXPHQWDO LQ JHWWLQJ WKH VWDWLRQ¶V ¿UVW FHQWHU SLY- RWV ZKLFK WKH\ XVHG IRU UH- search at the facility. “It was really innovative EHFDXVHWKHUHZDVQ¶WDQ\UH- search facilities that had cen- ter pivot irrigation systems,” he said. “In 1989-1990, Chet PRQLWRUVVWXGHQWDEVHQFHVIRU GD\ LQFUHPHQWV WKURXJK- RXWWKH\HDU)RUVWXGHQWVZKR KDYH HLJKW KDOIGD\ RU IRXU IXOOGD\ DEVHQFHV RQ WKHLU UHFRUGLQWKDWWLPH)HUJXVRQ DQG 8+6 FRXQVHORU 5DFKHO Carter personally deliver let- ters to their home stating that WKHLUDWWHQGDQFHPXVWFKDQJH immediately. On their home visits, they also speak with WKHFKLOG¶VSDUHQWRUJXDUGLDQ “Honestly, most of the conversations have been posi- WLYH´)HUJXVRQVDLG³:HFDQ SXW D QDPH WR WKH IDFH WKH\ FDQSXWDIDFHWRWKHQDPHDQG ,WKLQNWKDWSHUVRQDOWRXFKKDV been big.” If attendance still does not LPSURYHVFKRRORI¿FLDOVPHHW ZLWKWKHSDUHQWVRUJXDUGLDQV DQGWKHVWXGHQWDWWKHVFKRRO )HUJXVRQ VDLG LI VWXGHQW DW- tendance has not improved EHIRUHWKHQLWXVXDOO\GRHVDI- ter that meeting. If attendance still doesn’t improve, he said WKH\SXWDIROGHUWRJHWKHUDQG VXEPLWLWWRWKH8PDWLOOD3R- lice Department, and parents PD\UHFHLYHD¿QH )HUJXVRQ VDLG WKURXJK -DQXDU\WKHGLVWULFWVXEPLWWHG IROGHUVRIDERXWVWXGHQWVWR the Umatilla Police Depart- PHQW+HVDLGWKRVHQXPEHUV are probably now closer to RUVWXGHQWV7KHKDUVK UHSHUFXVVLRQV KRZHYHU KH said, have positively impact- HGVWXGHQWDWWHQGDQFH ³7KH PDMRULW\ RI WKRVH kids are now here and coming to school,” he said. )HUJXVRQ VDLG WKH KLJK school’s attendance rate is QRZDERXWSHUFHQW )HUJXVRQVDLGVFKRRORI¿- cials were certain the new at- WHQGDQFHSROLF\ZRXOGVKRZ SRVLWLYHJDLQVEXWLWLVQLFHWR KDYHWKHGDWDWRVXSSRUWWKDW He said the effort does re- TXLUHVRPHH[WUDWLPHRQKLV DQG &DUWHU¶V SDUW EXW LW KDV been worth it. ³+RSHIXOO\ZHMXVWFRQWLQ- XHWRVHHVWHDG\SURJUHVVDQG WKH QXPEHUV WKDW ZH ZDQW´ he said. “It is still kind of new, EXW VR IDU LW KDV EHHQ UHDOO\ good. Any time we can pick XS NLGV WKDW LV DOZD\V D good thing, and the police GHSDUWPHQW FRQWLQXHV WR EH awesome.” continued from page A1 and Don were people that spearheaded that effort. They NQHZDQGXQGHUVWRRGWKDWGR- LQJ UHVHDUFK XQGHU WKH VDPH kind of growing conditions WKH\ RSHUDWHG XQGHU ZRXOG RQO\ IXUWKHU WKH DJ FRPPX- nity.” Prior’s efforts, howev- HU EHQH¿WHG PRUH WKDQ MXVW WKH DJULFXOWXUH FRPPXQLW\ Hamm said. In addition to promoting and providing for WKHUHJLRQ¶VIRRGVXSSO\3UL- or was also a strong advocate for the region in general, he said. Prior served on the board for the Eastern Oregon Trade DQG (YHQW &HQWHU XS XQWLO his death. He also served as the president of the Herm- iston Development Corpo- ration for many years, and was a board member for the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce, the Northwest /LYHVWRFN 3URGXFWLRQ &UHG- it Association, the Port of Umatilla, Good Shepherd Medical Center and a mem- ber of the Hermiston Airport Advisory Committee. Prior was also active with WKH(FKR6FKRRO'LVWULFW6X- perintendent Raymon Smith said Prior was always will- LQJWREHDMXGJHIRUDQ))$ HYHQW RU VXSSRUW VWXGHQWV LQ WKH 8PDWLOOD &RXQW\ )DLU <RXWK/LYHVWRFN$XFWLRQ “He basically was a role PRGHO IRU VWXGHQWV DQG DGXOWVDOLNHLQKRZKHFRQ- GXFWHG KLPVHOI DQG VHUYHG WKHFRPPXQLW\´6PLWKVDLG Additionally, Prior served RQ WKH 8PDWLOOD &RXQW\ %XGJHW &RPPLWWHH ZDV D SEAN HART PHOTO +HUPLVWRQ$JULFXOWXUDO5HVHDUFK([WHQVLRQ&HQWHU3ODQW3DWKRORJLVW.HQ)URVWVWDQGVLQDÀHOGDWWKHIDFLOLW\ZKHUH an experiment was testing how different wheat varieties fared during the winter. RI REWDLQLQJ IXQGLQJ IRU UHVHDUFK SURMHFWV E\ ZULWLQJ JUDQWV DQG EXLOGLQJUHODWLRQVKLSVZLWKSHRSOH ZKRPD\IXQGSURMHFWV)URVWVDLG he will also manage research trials at HAREC and possibly on local farms once he establishes relation- ships with growers. As a plant pathologist, Frost will also manage the diagnostics FOLQLF DW +$5(& ZKLFK LV XVHG IRUUHVHDUFKDQGRXWUHDFK “The clinic is essentially a labo- ratory where growers or any mem- EHURIWKHFRPPXQLW\FDQVHQGLQ a sample for disease diagnosis,” he said. “If they have a problem with a plant growing in the yard, or a grower has a problem with a plant JURZLQJ LQ WKH ¿HOG RU WKH\ QHHG soil diagnostics done, then we pro- member of the Hermiston 5RWDULDQVIRXQGHGWKH(FKR .LZDQLV &OXE DQG VSHDU- headed the Echo Food Pan- try, which provides food for SHRSOH LQ WKH FRPPXQLW\ who may not be able to af- ford it. Prior also lobbied for lo- FDOUHJLRQDODQGVWDWHLVVXHV in addition to being a mem- EHURIDFRUHJURXSRISHRSOH ZRUNLQJWRVHFXUHJUHDWHUDF- FHVVWRZDWHUUHVRXUFHVLQWKH area. Piercy said Prior was the go-to person for many JRYHUQPHQWLVVXHVLQWKHUH- gion. Oregon State Rep. Greg Smith described Prior as someone who was an eco- nomic development leader for not only the Hermiston DUHD EXW IRU ZHVW 8PDWLOOD &RXQW\DQGHDVWHUQ2UHJRQ “He was one of the orig- inal pioneers of trying to bring water to the region and WR DGYRFDWH IRU VXVWDLQDEOH DJULFXOWXUH EXW HYHU\ERG\ NQRZV WKDW DERXW &KHW´ KH said. Smith said what many SHRSOHPD\QRWWDONDERXWDV PXFK LV MXVW KRZ JHQHURXV Prior was. “He was always looking WR JLYH WR WKRVH FRPPXQLW\ SURMHFWV WR PDNH VXUH WKDW ZH OLYH LQ D EHWWHU FRPPX- nity,” he said. “I have had DQRSSRUWXQLW\WRZRUNZLWK him off and on for the last 16 \HDUVGXULQJP\WLPHLQWKH /HJLVODWXUH DQG KH DOZD\V proved himself to be states- man and a strong advocate IRUWKHFRPPXQLW\´ Smith said Prior was one vide fee-for-service diagnostics WU\LQJ WR ¿JXUH RXW ZKDW¶V JRLQJ on with the plant or the soil.” The extension position is a part of the OSU Department of Botany, and Frost recently traveled to the PDLQ FDPSXV LQ &RUYDOOLV IRU DQ orientation. ³2I¿FLDOO\ P\ DSSRLQWPHQW LV 75 percent extension and 25 per- FHQW UHVHDUFK DW WKH XQLYHUVLW\´ KH VDLG ³:KDW , VRUW RI VHH WKDW PHDQLQJ LV , SXW H[SHULPHQWV LQ WKHJURXQGWRWU\WRVWXG\SDWKRJHQ biology and ecology, and my goal is to take what I learn from those experiments and then extend that WRWKHJURZHUFRPPXQLW\ZLWKWKH hope that it will help them grow a EHWWHUFURSRUEHPRUHSUR¿WDEOHLQ what they’re doing.” to always listen and observe LVVXHVEHIRUHKHVSRNH ³7KDWUHDOO\VSHDNVDERXW his wisdom,” he said. Smith also said Prior was a character. ³+HZDVDIXQJX\WREH DURXQG´KHVDLG³+HZDVDO- ZD\VRQHRIWKH¿UVWSHRSOH once the work was done, to FUDFNDMRNH+HLVVXUHO\JR- ing to be missed.” Friend and former Herm- iston City Manager Ed Brookshier said he worked SEAN HART PHOTO Ken Frost, who recently replaced Phil Hamm as the plant pathologist at the Hermiston Agricultural Research & Extension Center, examines a tobacco plant, which can be used to remove harmful substances from soil. with Prior in a variety of ca- SDFLWLHV WKURXJK WKH \HDUV and the region won’t be the VDPHZLWKRXWKLP “He did so many positive things,” he said. “He has been YHU\ PXFK IRU D ORQJ WLPH involved in the economic de- YHORSPHQWRIWKHFRPPXQLW\ « +H FRQWULEXWHV TXLHWO\ EXWYHU\JHQHURXVO\WRORFDO FKDULWLHV ,W ZRXOG EH YHU\ GLI¿FXOW IRU PH WR WKLQN RI DQ\RQHWKDW,ZRXOGFRPSDUH him to. I considered him a good friend.” Brookshier said Prior was DOZD\V SRVLWLYH EXW FRXOG EH VWXEERUQ DQG VNHSWLFDO which he described as a good TXDOLWLHV ³%XW KH DOZD\V DOZD\V whatever he was engaged in, it was always representative of the interest of the com- PXQLW\ RI RXU DUHD « LQ D ZD\WKDWFRXOGDOZD\VPRYH WKH FRPPXQLW\ IRUZDUG´ Brookshier said. “I am really going to miss him.” ! s e r u t c i P r u o Submit Y The East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald are looking for wedding photos to showcase in our Bridal Planner that publishes March 7, 2015. Deadline Wednesday Feb 18th. By mail: 211 SE Byers, Pendleton, OR 97801 By email to ajacobs@eastoregonian.com Please include the names of the Bride and Groom! Any questions, please call Amanda 541-278-2683